


Drunken

by daylightstreet



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bruce Banner & Tony Stark Friendship, Domestic Avengers, Drunk Steve Rogers, Drunk Tony Stark, Endgame, Feelings Realization, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Hurt Steve Rogers, Jealous Steve Rogers, Jealous Tony Stark, M/M, Multiverse, Steve Rogers & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Stony - Freeform, oblivious idiots, stony au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:54:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22578148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daylightstreet/pseuds/daylightstreet
Summary: Isn’t it weird how two people can be looking at the exact same thing and see it in a whole different way? Something happens and instead of making them run towards each other, it makes them run in totally opposites directions.Until it doesn’t and they find each other in the middle.Damn you alcohol.
Relationships: Steve Rogers & Original Female Character(s), Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Tony Stark & Original Character(s)
Kudos: 18





	1. Ups

Okay, so when he stumbles into the dark room, he realizes it was probably _not_ a good idea to drink that last tequila shot Clint insisted in taking. 

“Wow” he yells when his feet lands into something. Putting one hand on the nearest wall he remembers that there’s two mattresses on his bedroom floor, with at least five people sleeping in between them, ‘cause it was too late for them to return to their homes. 

He’ll like to remember _who_ exactly is sleeping in his room, but he only knows Aaron is sleeping in his bed. And there’s where he is trying to get. 

But is super hard to guide himself in the dark _excuse you_ , and with that much alcohol still in his system.

“Sorry” he mutters when the shoe he accidentally kicked _groans_ , cause apparently it was someone’s head. He ends up taking his shoes off, leaning against his desk, groaning softly and saying shit a couple of times. If he needs to get to his bed stepping on mattresses and people, at least he is going to do it with no shoes on. 

He also takes his jacket off, which he doesn’t remember when he put it on in the first place, and then takes a deep breath. 

He walks and steps in the soft surfaces, and tries to climb to his bed, and he almost falls twice. 

“Hey!” Some girl yells sleepily and Tony doesn’t even bother to say sorry this time. He is too busy entering his bed and noticing the warm body inside the covers. Thank god Aaron is here right where he left him. They can’t exactly sleep together in a room full of people (Tony is not that much of a pervert yet) but at least they can make out. 

The body moves “Tony?” He asks. 

“Yeah, sorry about the mess, I… couldn’t find the room and then the bed” He whispers and laughs a little, bearing his face in the pillow. He is laying now, but the room is spinning. 

“Agh God, this is going to be a terrible hangover. But whatever, wanna make out?” He blurts a laugh a bit louder this time and someone shush him from across the room. 

“For god’s sake this is my room!” He yells and Aaron elbows him. “What? They should be grateful I don’t kick them out to fuck you” 

Aaron makes a groaning sound. “Aaron come here” Tony realizes that he is sounding needy and that he is slurring the words a little but well, he is going to let the embarrassment for when he sobers up. 

He climbs on top of Aaron, and he tries to push him softly saying something but Tony grins and catches Aaron’s face in his hands. 

“Sorry for leaving you alone at the party.” He speaks a bit more steady this time and if it weren’t for the lack of light in the room, he would be staring straight into Aaron’s eyes.   
“So… where were we?” Tony asks seductively in a whisper, smiles and he puts his lips into Aaron’s. It’s soft, and a slow, and the rooms keeps on getting bigger and smaller and moving a little, but when he tries to intensify the kiss like he _knows_ how, something happens. The kiss is too…. great. He doesn’t want to move or to do anything else but kissing him like this. Is warm, and fast but slow and is familiar but different at the same time. He is probably too drunk to spice things up anyway, so he ignores the nausea feeling he gets all of the sudden and keeps on kissing him.   
He presses Aaron’s face harder and separates their mouths to breathe a little. In that moment Aaron puts his hands on Tony’s waist and presses him against him and Tony can’t resist to lower his head again and put his mouth over his even if the dizziness gets worse. 

At some point he falls to the side and falls asleep. 

“Oh my god!” Someone yells. Too loud. 

Way too loud, _Jesus_. 

He opens his eyes but the bright white light makes him close them immediately. “I KNEW YOU WERE FUCKING THIS WHORE!” There’s a beep sound, a buzz on his ears and is he in a roller coaster? Oh god, his head hurts and everything is spinning and, he throws up. 

“Tony!” Someone yells in disgust and he can’t even open his eyes yet. 

“Agh! I’m out of here. You are a son of a bitch Daniel!” The girl yells again and someone throws something to the ground and in that exact moment, someone in Tony’s bed sits down abruptly, waking up violently. 

There are voices going around in the room and Tony remembers being in bed with Aaron and having other people sleeping in the floor before opening his eyes. 

God, there’s an unbearable amount of daylight in the room and the floor is a mess of mattresses, sheets, pillows, clothes and even beer bottles. He threw up right in the mattress under his bed, but no one was there anymore _thank god_ and in the other mattress there’s a half naked girl covering herself with blankets and some guy is standing up next to her. There’s three people on the door, watching the scene of some guy being caught after he cheated on his girlfriend who apparently broke one of Tony’s portraits on her way out. God his head hurts a lot. 

He groans and starts to stand up. Everybody starts grabbing their things while leaving the room and Tony just heads to the bathroom guiding himself putting hands and arms in the walls like an octopus. He barely bothers to close the door behind him, and he hears voices and conversations about the time and someone asking for an Uber while he tries to clean his face. 

He needs a shower, an aspirin and… three days of sleep. The cold water wakes him up a little and his reflection in the mirror looks back defeated, with dark holes under his eyes. “Yeah, any other good ideas?” He asks himself and his voice sounds raspy like he smoked ten packs of cigarettes. Maybe he did. 

He washes his teeth with disgust and washes his face again before going out. This time walking a little better. 

There’s just Steve in his room right now. Sitting at the end of his bed, staying far away from Tony’s puke. Is just them, and the mess of course. 

“Hey” he says surprised, he doesn’t remember seeing his friend since the begging of last night’s party. He didn’t ask himself where Steve was, but he was sure he was sleeping in some other bedroom of the house. So it means he came to check on Tony. Even tho he looks like he just woke up.

“Hi” Steve says but he doesn’t look at him. He looks tired and like he is also having a hangover. But Tony knows Steve doesn’t _get_ hangovers when they party because he doesn’t drink that much like to get one and plus the few times he did, he did _not_ got a hangover later, the bastard, so Tony knows he is just in a bad mood 'cause he didn’t have enough sleep. 

“Where’s my aspirin?” Tony asks and he wonders for the first time in forever where his phone is. He touches his empty pockets and wants to go find it but the nausea feeling and the headache aren’t gone. So he is fine standing there, leaning against the wall trying not to fall. He wants to lay down again but his vomit is awful and starting to smell. God he needs someone to clean that up. 

Steve doesn’t answer his question or seems to care about what Tony is saying at all, he stirs both hands for his face and takes a couple of minutes to stand up. When he does, he stumbles a little and Tony grins. 

“How much did you drink last night Steve?” 

“Too much” he says and looks around the room. “Are you okay?” He asks concerned looking at Tony’s puke and back to Tony. 

“Peachy” he replies and Steve leaves the room, touching the wall as support on his way out. 

So, the mansion was going to be alone for one night and Tony decided to throw a party, the whole college was invited to, and for the looks of it when he comes down the stairs, _everybody_ came. 

There’s people sleeping in different parts of the house still, like the couch in the living room, the bathroom and surprisingly the backyard too. And Tony is sure it rained at some point during the night. 

The whole house looks like it’s been attacked, or robbed, or both. And he is grateful for the cleaning service he hired anticipatedly for today’s afternoon. There’s some people leaving as he walks down the stairs and there’s also Jarvis, standing there waiting for him like if he _knew_ Tony was going to come down at that exact moment. He probably did, the man is a wizard. 

“Great party sir” he approaches him and almost attacks him with a glass of water and an aspirin. “Looks like everything went down like you intended to” 

“Yeah, I didn’t mean to get the house wrecked but yeah, it was fun Jarvis. Does any of my friends still here?” 

“Clint Barton is asleep outside, Bruce Banner is in one of the bedrooms upstairs and I believe Steve Rogers is in the kitchen, sir” 

“Thanks Jarvs” Tony gives him an apologetic smile as he starts walking towards the kitchen. It’s seems pointless to put the now empty glass of water in the sink while there’s so much mess going around but he leaves it there. Steve is pouring himself a glass of cold water from the fridge, and shifts uncomfortably when Tony walks in. 

“Are you in a hangover?” He asks amused and in disbelieve. Steve smiles and drinks the water. 

“I feel fine” he replays after he finishes the glass and pours another. Tony grins. 

“Do you want something to eat? Agh I need coffee ASAP” Tony starts to prepare the coffee maker and Steve saves the water in the fridge again. 

“I guess I want a cup” he leans against the counter and takes his phone out of his pocket. That’s when Tony remembers that he didn’t found his. 

“Do you know where I left my phone? Could you call me?” 

Steve just does without answering and then he says it went straight to voicemail. “It must be out of battery somewhere.” He says but Steve twitches his mouth before looking at his own phone again and Tony knows that he is thinking that someone probably stole it 'cause the house was full of strangers. Tony rolls his eyes as the machine starts working and Steve side smiles cause they never really needed much words to know what the other is thinking. 

“Hey fellas” Clint walks in the kitchen and Steve actually grins. 

“Wow someone’s been partying more than me!” Tony chirps when he turns around. Barton has nothing but his blue boxers and an open white shirt on, and the shirt has some buttons missing. His face looks like shit and his hair is going on every direction. 

“Stark… you are the man” he gets close to Tony to do a fist bump and give him a quick hug and Steve just looks amused at the whole scene. It’s obvious that Clint is happy cause he got laid last night. 

“Coffee, Romeo?” Tony asks smirking and Clint agrees.

The whole morning goes by with them and Bruce drinking coffee in the kitchen and talking about the party and things they did or witness. They laugh and they all wake up together from their hangovers and zombie states until the cleaning services arrives and Steve offers to give Bruce a ride on his motorcycle. Clint says he is going on a quest to find his clothes all over the house and Tony threatens Bruce about having to pay him back the damn wall he broke last night. He made a whole as big a if a giant worm passed through there, and no, he didn’t wanted to know _how_ exactly did he do that. 

So everybody leaves, and as the cleaning service started, Jarvis took care of kicking out every person who was still sleeping somewhere in the house. So Tony decides to go to his parents bedroom to sleep for a while, cause it’s the only one that is clean. 

The smell of lemon hits his nose when he opens the door, and everything looks so organized that it surprises him they don’t use this bedroom for photographs in decoration catalogs. He haven’t walk into his parents room in a… long while. So it’s normal to feel like he doesn’t know this part of the house at all. 

He tries not to give it much thought and he lets himself fall into the bed without even turning off the lights. He closes his eyes and then, he remembers walking into his bedroom and falling into bed like this last night. 

He kissed Aaron. 

Then it hits him. 

Aaron wasn’t in his bed this morning. 

Steve was. 

  
  


* * *

Steve knew it was wrong. But in the moment Tony pressed his lips into his, he was paralyzed. It was something he never experienced before and this was _Tony_ for God’s sake.There were a thousand alarms sounding in his brain but when tried to push Tony off the part of his brain that was supposed to do _something_ about the warning signs, died. The kiss was warm, and slow, and Steve ended up letting himself be carried away, moving his lips too, kissing him back. And _god_ , Tony was drunk, completely drunk and Steve wasn’t all that much, so he was supposed to stop this right away. But, Tony had both hands on his face, and when he stopped the kiss to just look down, Steve panicked, thinking maybe Tony did it 'cause he recognized him, but there was no light and it was impossible Tony was seeing him. 

His entire body was under Tony’s, the sensation uncomfortable and awkward at the same time that…. familiar and _good_ . Tony shaked a little, like he was about to fall and Steve instinctively grabbed him by the waist. And in that moment Tony kissed him again. Softer this time, like he meant it. And Steve ended up throwing his arms around Tony’s back and kissing back shutting up all the alarms in his head. They were drunk, this was a party and Tony did this kind of thing all the time, he even kissed Bruce once, it was _fine_. It was the normal thing people did at parties. Tony muttered something in his lips, with Aaron’s name and then, he threw himself to the side and groaned when his head hit the pillow. Steve stood there, with a hand on his forehead, looking at the dark ceiling trying to calm his breathing for a good five minutes before untangling Tony’s legs from his to put Tony’s body completely on his side of the bed without any part of him, touching Steve. 

And God, this is going to be bad. He turned around trying to fall asleep, but Tony’s cologne was all over him and it shouldn’t feel good. He also shouldn’t be thinking about how Aaron gets kisses like that all the time. Or how everybody gets kisses from Tony like that. 

Once, Tony jokingly said to him that if he kissed him, he would lose his heterosexuality a little _“like everybody else does”_ and Steve replied with sarcasm. Right now, he is sure Tony was right. And he is also sure of why, people always cling to Tony. Being kissed by Tony Stark, is way too good like to don’t want to repeat it again. 

  
  
  
\----------------------------------------  
  


Steve seemed fine when he talked to him in the kitchen wasn’t he? Everything was fine between them right? 

Tony always sleeps around, that was no big news. And he also makes out with everyone at parties, it’s just the fun of parties in the first place. He made out with a bunch of his friends too, like Bruce or Natasha. It’s not a big deal, _everybody_ gets drunk at parties and they kiss people. Girls are all the time kissing each other in truth or dare games or just so someone could snap a video. It’s… part of friendship, Tony guesses.

So it’s supposed to be fine! Why is he panicking? Steve is not the kind of person who would make out with a friend just _because_ they are at a party. And Steve always looks disappointed when Tony tells him about what he did at some party or when he sees him kissing someone random at the club. And now, NOW, Tony kissed him. And he fears the friendship is over or that Steve would be mad or… disgusted. 

Tony kisses his friends but only when he knows everything will be fine afterwards, like, when he is sure there’ll be no awkward moments later or explaining to do. The night he kissed Bruce, it was fun and for a game and they were normal after it, laughing about someone doing something stupid in the game they were playing right one second after that kiss. And nothing was ever uncomfortable. They never wanted to kiss each other again either, it was just for a drinking game. 

But now… God, why did he have to kiss Rogers? And more importantly, where the hell was Aaron when he needed him? Why wasn’t him at his bed where he left him? Jesus, that guy is an _idiot_. 

And _yes_ he is going to get mad at him too, so he doesn’t have to be all mad with himself. Aaron and him can share the blame. He is a mess, he is literally a mess. And he has to fix this, he has to fix this crap. He hopes he hadn’t ruined his friendship with Steve as he walks to the campus. 

Some people greet him, congratulate him for the party or some others just flashes smiles to him as he walks, except for one girl who looks at him like he wants to murder him. 

“You! I hope you go to hell” she says when he passes by. 

“Oh I remember you! You are the girl who was yelling in the morning! The one the boyfriend cheated on, right?” 

The girl slaps him. 

“Okay I deserved that.” Some people laugh as he groans and she walks away angrily pushing a couple out of her way. 

“I need a second coffee” he mutters to himself and walks to the cafeteria instead of his first class. 

There’s no hate messages on his phone from Rogers or a “we need to talk” message so that’s fine. Not like Steve would decide to talk things out 'cause he _never_ does, especially when he is mad, but it’s relieving not to find any text like that anyway. He has to see him in his next class, so it’s fine, he’ll know. Probably Steve doesn’t remember any of that, yes, that was why he was acting normal in the kitchen. Hopefully it didn’t jump on his mind later. 

Bruce finds him in the hall. “Oh thank God” Tony yells grabbing him by the arm and pulling him close so they can walk side to side. 

“Not that I’m complaining but no one is ever that happy to see me. Should I suspect something?” 

“Why do you always assume I did something?”

“Didn’t you?” 

“Yes. But it's offensive that you already thought I did!” Bruce groans.

“What did you do this time?” 

“I kissed Rogers” 

“What?” Bruce laughs a little. “And did he punch you?” 

“No! Why would he...? Never mind. I don’t know if he punch me, I think I kissed him but I can’t remember”

They keep walking to their next class, some people keep flashing smiles at both of them. They turn in the foyer and start going upstairs. 

“Well, why don’t you ask him?” 

“No! Bruce pay attention would you? If he doesn’t remember and I ask him, then he’ll know! First I have to see if he is acting weird or if he says something that proves me he remembers” 

“That’s a stupid plan, Tony. Just talk it out, It’ll be fine” he is sighing every word.

“I’m going to pretend that you are using that tired tone cause we are on the stairs and not because you are tired of my problem.” 

“Whatever floats your boat” 

“I should’ve never teach you sarcasm. Now is biting me in the ass” 

They walk to the classroom and Tony looks over the grandstand and sees Steve in there, with his open book and a pencil ready on his hand. Steve sees him too, but Tony freezes and feels weird for a second so he just looks away trying to find a sit for him and Bruce without waving a hand or smiling or giving Steve time to do it himself. Steve frowns but keeps his attention focused on the teacher coming through the door. 

“Alright class, everybody take a sit” 

Tony and Bruce are in the lower steps and Steve doesn’t want to look but he does a couple of times during the whole lecture. He pays attention but he founds himself looking at Tony from up there. He is sitting way too close to Bruce, they whisper with each other from time to time, and Tony takes notes and scratches his neck one time and Steve’s cheeks turn red cause he remembers that hand on his face. He promised himself he wouldn’t think of that anymore, ever again, but Tony has this messy hair, and red hoodie, and a coffee on his desk that Steve is sure is not his first one, and God, he can’t keep it out of his head. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I'm Chiara, and this my first ever fic so.. be nice. What do you think? Please let me know.


	2. huh!

They all have lunch together. Tony can’t avoid it and Steve wasn’t trying to, so they all sit in the table. Natasha and Bruce are talking about the chemistry test Bruce has next week, and Clint steals some of Natasha’s fries while he laughs really loud with Tony. Bucky is playing with his phone and Thor and Steve are participating in the conversation but more focused on the food in the trays. 

“Nono I’m telling you it wasn’t fun, she jumped on me! Nearly tackled me down and everything” 

Clint rolls his eyes. “Come on stark, you are exagerating! And she is a 4’5 inches girl” 

“Yeah! But she slapped me! She was angry like if her boyfriend cheated on her with me”

“And didn’t he?” Bucky asks and they all burst out laughing. 

“Yeah yeah very funny. Mock me while is free” Tony says and keeps eating.  
The whole lunch goes well, more than well actually, everybody laughs and talks and they steal most of Natasha’s fries until she gets angry, and by the time lunch is over and everybody leaves, Tony walks with Thor to the library. If he thinks of it, there were a few times when Steve meet his eye, or the other way around, and Tony felt weird enough like to look away, but other than that, it was fine. That’s when he decides that he needs to talk to Rogers about this someday, but today, is not the day. (or the week)  
  


“So… are you and Stark on a fight or something?” Bucky asks while they leave the cafeteria. Steve frowns. They are not fighting, but...It’s too weird to explain.  
“No, we are okay.” It’s all he says and Bucky takes a sip of his coke with an “are you kidding me?” expression on his face. Steve shakes his head and rolls his eyes with a little smile.  
“So you are just playing ignoring each other?”  
“I don’t know Buck. Tony is… going through something I guess”  
“Something like idiocy? He is been going through that for the last 20 years, it’s not a big deal”  
Steve gives him a face. “Yeah, he keeps going through that too”  
They laugh. 

He knows that Tony is avoiding him. When Tony is pissed off or ignoring you or _whatever_ , you just wait until he goes back to normal. What is Steve going to say anyway? It’s not like Tony ever listens, and he doesn’t want to argue with him, and… certainly _not_ about what happened. Steve doesn’t know how much time Tony is going to need, but he hopes they can get over this soon.  
  


\------------------------------------------------

They don’t get over it soon.  
  
It’s been almost two weeks since the party and the…. well, _incident_ and ever since Tony is distant. Steve tried to be his normal self, but… Is hard when Tony isn’t. He just wants to give him his time. But the fear of Tony needing space forever has been starting to kick in. He doesn’t really get it. Tony kisses everyone, he doesn’t know why Tony got so caught up on this anyway.

  
“How is your project coming?” 

Oh someone’s been talking. “Huh?” 

Natasha side smiles and closes her notebook. 

“Are you even listening to me Cap? I asked about your architecture project. The one you told me about last week.” 

Steve rolls his eyes playfully at the nickname. Ever since he told Nat that his teammates called him Captain when he got to be lider in a project, he teases him with that. The whole group does.

“It’s going fine, it’s just.. well, you know me, I never really like anything I draw” Nat rolls her eyes.  
“Show me or I’ll kill you” 

It’s a sunny morning. They been sitting in the grass of the campus park studying for the past hour. Natasha is studying business, and Steve is going for the art mayor. He never gets entirely satisfied with what he does even if his teachers always congratulate him and try to make him see how great his technique is. Bucky and Natasha threaten to kill him every single time he hesitates over delivering some work or every time he wants to throw something to the garbage can, so he obeys.   
On their way to Steve’s bedroom (the one he shares with some korean boy who pretends not to know english so he doesn’t have to talk to Steve) they run into Tony and Aaron.  
They stop right on their tracks. Both of them. Tony and Steve.  
While Nat and Aaron stop like normal people would do when they almost crash into some of their friends in the foyer, Steve and Tony stop like if they had been suddenly glued to the floor, and Tony clears his throat. Steve almost rolls his eyes and says “very subtle Tony” but he fights the urge.

  
“Stark” Nat says cheerily to Tony who smiles, and to everyone else in the world, it’s just a smile, but Steve knows him, better than anyone and he knows that’s just his awkward and “I want to run away” smile he gives every time he is nervous, like that time in highschool when a girl he was seeing, made him meet his dad at the school door when he came to pick her up, and Tony wasn’t even sure they were dating. He had to shake the man’s hand and smile politely and make small talk before the blond girl hug him and they left. This is the same smile. And honestly? What is it with this facade? Is getting ridiculous.  
Aaron offers a smile and a hand to high five and Steve wants to bat his hand away. But he can’t, so he smiles and then says something like “What’s up man?” that sounds way _too_ friendly and Tony notices cause in that same second he clears his throat again.

  
“Okay, so… we were leaving” Tony offers and Aaron smiles weirdly and keeps standing there like the blond dumb doll he is and Steve shakes his head. Anyone could’ve notice that Tony was trying to get them to move. Tony grins and grabs him by the arm “Come on baby”.

  
“That was really awkward Steve. Would you talk it out?” Nat says once the pair is gone. Steve tightness his jaw.  
“Tony doesn’t do pet names”  
“What?”  
“Nothing, let’s go.” 

* * *

“Are you still angry with Steve? He is nice” Aaron says as they walk away and seriously, Tony has to cut this boy lose. Why is he seeing him again?  
 _"Baby_ _”_ Aaron ads with a meaningful look and then grins when Tony rolls his eyes. Yeah, he doesn’t know what that pet name was either, he got nervous for some reason. He never uses pet names unless he is being sarcastic or flirting.

  
“Yeah he is nice, but he is a dick too” He says, and it’s not real. I mean, he is not angry with Steve, he is just… avoiding him for a while. Until things are not so awkward. So from where that insult came from?

  
“I thought his boyfriend was the dick” Aaron shugs and lifts his shoulders up. “Oh look! There’s a play in two weeks!” He says when they walk pass a poster in the foyer and he stops on his tracks, making Tony stop too. 

  
“His boy- wait, what? Steve doesn't have a boyfriend” Tony makes the most confused face ever and Aaron keeps staring at the damn pink poster on the wall. 

“It’s on a Friday!”

  
“Hello! Could you pay me attention here? Who are you talking about?” Tony is suddenly getting frustrated and he doesn't even know why.

  
Aaron turned and stared to walk again. “Bucky. I thought that dude was his boyfriend. They are always together and they spend a lot of time on Steve’s room. I live in the same foyer remember? Bucky even came at midnight the other night and he left in the morning with him. Where did he slept? In Hyun’s bed?”

  
“Who the fuck - How do you know the korean guy name? He barely talks to anyone”

  
“He is in my knitting club”

  
“In your _what_ ? No, you know what, nevermind. Let’s go grab some lunch”

  
_Bucky and Steve. Bucky and Steve. Bucky and Steve._

  
No, they are best friends since childhood. Steve said a couple of times they were like brothers. Bucky is even more heterosexual than Steve, sometimes even more heterosexual than _Tony,_ so no, there is a big “it will never happen” sign in there. But he couldn’t… No, he has to shake it off his head. Bucky and Steve are friends, family, and that’s it. But what if…? No.  
But he stood the night on Steve’s room. And there’s only two beds unless there’s a third one hanging from the ceiling that Tony missed the couple of hundred times he went there. They had to stay in the same bed. Well that was normal, friends could share beds right? He shared a bed with Thor that one time they went camping and had to stop at a motel that didn’t have many rooms. It was okay! But… why would Bucky stay the night if his own room, his own _bed_ was just a couple of stairs away? Okay maybe he was tired. Maybe they fell asleep watching a movie. It was okay.  
Right?  
Aaron said they were always together and that was something Tony couldn’t argue with. Bucky and Steve were glued by the hip and that was the first reason Bucky joined the group in the first place. Tony loves Bucky, he trusts him, the guy is crazy and sarcastic as he is and they became good friends in the last years. All of them. Bucky is smart and sharp and they share a bunch of classes since they are in the same engineer mayor, and is awesome to have someone like him around. So it’s not like Tony felt like he was forced to be friends with Bucky just to keep being friends with Steve, Bucky was great on his own and he became important on their group. But yeah, their friendship with Bucky? Pretty much Steve made it happen.  
So okay. They do spend a lot of time together but… that’s what you do when you know someone from your whole life. Tony met his friend Rhodey when he was a kid and you could say they spend an awful lot of time together even if Rhodey is in the military now. So it was normal. It was fine.  
There is nothing going on between Bucky and Steve. He got that conclusion because it was the logical and rational one. There is nothing going on between Bucky and Steve. 

“There's something going on between Bucky and Steve”

 _“What?”_ Bruce looks up from his book to watch his friend storming in his room.

“There’s something going on between Bucky and Steve!” He slammed the door and walked in to sit on the bed.

“What are you talking about Tony? Weren’t you supposed to be having lunch with Aaron?”  
Oh yes, he knew he forgot something.  
  
“Shit. Okay, well look, it doesn’t matter alright? He’ll get over it”  
  
“Tony!”  
  
“I’m telling you something important here! This is an emergency! How could this happen right under our noses? Steve and Bucky!”  
  
Bruce rolls his eyes and closes the laptop. “What do you mean there’s 'something' going on with them?”  
  
“Did you just did quote marks with your fingers?”  
  
“Tony!”  
  
“Alright look, I think they are secretly dating. They have always been secretly dating!”  
  
Bruce starts to sit up straight. “Tony they are friends. They have been friends since they are kids. You are hallucinating”  
  
“You are probably right on that one, but we can’t let my paranoia go uninvestigated.”  
  
“I can do that perfectly fine”

  
Is Tony’s turn to roll his eyes and he lets himself fall in the bed.   
  
  
“Tony have you eaten today? I mean if you forgot to go to lunch...”  
  
“I had breakfast. Don’t turn all mother hen on me.”  
  
“You forgot to eat for two days once”  
  
“Exactly ONCE is the key word in there. Good God, you do something once and they never let you forget it.”  
  
“Come on, let’s go grab something to eat, I’m starving.”  
  
“Liar” Tony pouts.  
  
“It's true! Come on. Where did you left Aaron by the way?”  
  
Tony stands up. “He was asking for tickets to the school play”  
  
“And you left?”  
  
“Kind of. I remember leaving but I had in mind to text him and come back. But on the way here I was thinking too much and when I got here I remembered that I didn’t text. And that I don’t have my phone on me. So… He probably just thought I got lost or kidnapped on campus”  
  
“Jesus Christ. How does he keeps dating you?” Bruce closes the door behind them.  
  
“Easily. We are not dating.”  
  
“Can’t see why.”  
  
They walk down the corridor and cross the campus on their way to the cafeteria and Bruce starts to talk about physics. 

“Would you please listen to me for a second here? I think they are sleeping together.” He interrupts.

“Tony why would you say something like that? Now I’m picturing it! Jesus, that’s disgusting.” 

“Bruce I’m serious! What if they are?” 

“Exactly! What if they are? Why do you care so much? They will still be our friends, nothing changes. Cut it out. If they are dating _and that’s a big if_ , they will tell us when they are ready. Stop prouding.” 

“I hate you sometimes.” 

“Shut up” Bruce bites his pizza and gestures to Tony to grab a bite at his. So Tony does, even tho now he is less hungry than ever. Bruce takes his phone to look at something in the screen and show Tony. “So anyway, look at this -“ 

What if Steve and Bucky _are_ dating? What if Steve and Bucky are kissing right now? 

He remembers. The comfortable feeling. How different and yet familiar it felt. He remembers that night, the warm strong body under him, and how he didn’t wanted to stop the kiss. 

Knowing now it was Steve, that he was _kissing_ Steve, makes his stomach jump, his heart race and the sensation of wanting to hide his face between his hands in embarrassment. He can’t hide it. It wasn’t a normal drunk kiss that you will give to anyone on a party, it wasn’t something that you could move on from. It wasn’t meaningless and he can’t pretend anymore that is fine when it’s not. He can’t pretend that it felt the same as kissing any other of his friends because he wants to do it again. He keeps wondering what would be like to kiss Steve being sober and paying all the possible attention. He wants to feel Steve’s hands on his waist again putting him closer. And that’s why it hits him. 

“I like Steve” 

“What?” 

“I… Shit, I think I like Steve” 

Bruce has no idea how Tony got to that conclusion while he was explaining to him something about gamma rays he read on a science blog this morning. He even looks at the phone screen for a second trying to find some clue in there.

“Tony you… are you sure? I don’t think you like him. Maybe you are just confused” 

“I kissed him at that goddamned party and now… I can’t get it out of my head” He is almost hyperventilating. How did he not know about this? How did he not know he liked Steve? The heart racing he got when he thought about kissing Steve, is not new. That heart race is always there when they are standing too close to each other, or when they are about to meet. They’ve known each other for _years_ and Tony still feels a little nervousness when he is about to hang out with Steve.  
Gorgeous, he always thought that his friend is gorgeous. And he is realizing _now_ that it meant that he likes him? He thinks about Steve laughing, or making that serious frowny face he makes while he draws, or wearing that blue hoodie that Tony loves so much on him, and his heart _races._

Bruce notices how anxious Tony is getting so he puts the phone down on the table and turns his body towards his friend. Puts a hand on his shoulder. “Look, you are attracted to him, hell maybe _I’m_ attracted to him and I’m straight, but you need to think about this. You two are friends, you can’t screw up this friendship if you just want to… fuck him” 

“Oh my god don’t put it like that! Jeez” Tony brings his hand up his forehead.

“Sorry sorry but you got my point. You don’t like him, you are not in love with him, maybe you are just attracted to him” Bruce pushes his glasses up with one finger. 

“Yeah, I get it but… I don’t know, you are right, maybe I’m just confused. I can’t like Steve. We are friends. Let's forget about this and move on.” Tony breathes, smiles the best way he can and then he clears his throat. "You were saying?" He gestures towards the now forgotten phone on the table.

Bruce looks at him suspiciously. “Alright” He grabs his phone again and gives Tony a _“Are we cool?_ ” look that Tony responds with a nod.  
  
Bruce kept talking about this and that while eating half a pizza by himself but Tony couldn’t focus enough. 

He needs to sleep. And a drink, probably.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You have no idea what's next!!! Thanks for the kudos💕


	3. Duh

It’s Friday. Almost two weeks after the party at Tony’s house. And Steve is ready. He is finally ready to ask Tony what the fuck is going on. He doesn’t want to start a fight, so he will casually go to Tony’s apartment and ask him if they are okay, or maybe they will just hang out and everything will fall into place without needing to talk about what… happened. 

Everything is so weird that Steve is starting to believe that Tony is not mad or awkward about the party. Is gotta be something else. Something that maybe he did to piss Tony off or… something more that just what happened, something worst that made Tony avoid him at all costs. He can’t remember that last time they were in the same room together alone. 

Two days ago Tony was playing video games with Bucky and when Steve walked in, Tony was so awkward that he almost dropped the joystick and took a phone call Steve was one hundred percent sure it was fake. So… great. It was time to talk about it. 

Bucky gave him a whole speech about kicking his ass if he didn’t take care of it. 

So here he is. At Tony’s doorstep. Taking care of it. The noise of the rain hitting the windows of the foyer is the only noise he can hear. He makes a mental note to tell Bucky he deserves extra points for coming here when is raining.  He sighs,  _ screw this  _ , he knocks.

A blonde guy with messy hair opens up.

Steve frowns. “Aaron” 

“Steve, hi!” 

“Hm… is Tony here?” 

“Yeah but he is sleeping. He barely slept this week with all the work he has so I’m trying not to wake him up. He gets cranky when you wake him up” Aaron grins and Steve wants to punch him in his perfect teeth.

“Okay just… tell him that I stopped by” 

“I will” Aaron says and smiles. Steve stands there like an idiot until Aaron starts to slowly close the door. Steve resists the urge of banging his own head against the wood. He knows how Tony gets when you wake him up from a nap _ t _ _ hank you very much.  _

What were they doing before Tony fell asleep? Were they just hanging out or…? No, he has to stop thinking about that. 

He never had a problem with Tony being bisexual. It’s the 21th century and love is free. He never asked Tony… but he always kind of knew by the way Tony flirted around with everyone and the final proof was when he made out with a guy at a party they went a couple of years back. He remembers how weird it felt. He was afraid that he was turning into a homophobe by how disgusted he felt with the image. He never felt more disappointed with himself. But then he learned that he didn’t have a problem with that, it was just the little alcohol he drank and how shocking it was for him to see Tony like _that_. With both hands in some guy’s face, pressing him against the balcony wall. 

He never saw Tony do anything like that again, he only met girls Tony dated from then on. Until Aaron. 

He remembers how awkward it felt at the beginning to see Tony laughing and kissing a guy in a park bench on campus. How…  _ bad  _ it felt. Just like that night on that highschool party in the balcony. But he shove it aside, 'cause it’s pointless and it means nothing. 

Besides Aaron started to hang out with them more often in the last month, and Bucky even made a bet with Clint to see how much they will last. None of them gave them more than another month, basically cause Tony says they are not dating, they are a casual thing, they are _friends_. Huh, Steve has to rolls his eyes at that. He is Tony’s friend and they don’t sleep together. And by the way this doesn’t feel casual anymore, Tony spends every minute with Aaron, now apparently they stay in same place like Tony’s apartment every damn day or Aaron's dorm. Now Aaron “knows” how Tony gets when he wakes up from his naps. And that night at the party Tony kissed Steve thinking it was Aaron and he kissed him like he meant the world. Maybe it wasn’t what he thought, maybe Tony doesn’t kiss everybody Iike that. Maybe he just kisses _Aaron_ like that. That’s why the kiss felt… so good.   
If he kisses Tony again, with Tony knowing that is him who he is kissing, it wouldn't feel that great. Tony wouldn’t mean it like that. It’s not like he wants to kiss Tony again, he doesn’t, but if he did… Nevermind. He is not Aaron. He is glad Tony is happy, even if it’s not with him in his life. 

He doesn’t want him as a friend? Good. He doesn’t want him as anything anymore? Fine. He can have it his way. This is the last time he craves for Tony’s attention. He did nothing wrong and Tony cut him off. Well great. Tony can go to hell. 

He walks to class, grateful for the rain becoming just drizzle. His phone buzz in the middle of the painting he is trying to focus on enough like to finish. 

**Stark:** “You came by. Needed something?” 10.30am 

Steve frowns and puts the phone back in his pocket.  
  
  
\------------------------------------

**Steve *american flag emoji*** : “Nothing. Sorry.” 11.16am 

Tony frowns at his phone. Nothing? Okay so he came to his house 'cause he wanted nothing. That’s totally normal. 

“Did Steve said what he wanted?” He looks up at Aaron who is changing his shirt. Honestly, having his apartment two blocks from college is the best idea his father ever had. He could never stay in the college's dorms having to share. 

“No. But he looked weird tho. Did you two made up?” 

They didn’t, actually. They haven’t been talking in what… two weeks? He’s been avoiding him ever since he talked to Bruce in the cafeteria about  _ that _ . He doesn’t like Steve, he is sure of that now, but he doesn’t want to risk it. Spending time with Steve could… bring that feeling back and everything will be even more ruined with them if Steve finds out. He’s been taking his time to go back to normal and have a normal friendship with Steve again without… any weird thing in the middle. Without the constant thought of Steve being beautiful or … close enough to touch. 

But he doesn’t trust himself enough yet. 

He stirs one hand for his face and puts the phone down. God, when did this became so complicated? If Steve came here to... talk to him or look for him or  _ whatever _ after knowing that they are not talking, something must have happened. Especially since Steve would rather die that beat his own pride. Maybe something bad is going on and Steve needed to talk to someone.

He needs to go talk to Steve despite his own feelings. 

“Alright pretty boy, is time for you to go. I have things to do” He says and then smiles to let Aaron know he is joking. He would never actually dismiss him like that.

Aaron smiles back. “Yeah and I got class” he comes closer to the bed and presses a kiss on Tony’s forehead. 

Steve must be in class too. Just because Tony skips most of his classes doesn’t mean Steve will too. So he goes out and heads to the art building. The sun is coming up, could be a good sign.He doesn’t know where Steve is exactly so he buys a coffee and sits in front of the building to catch Steve when he goes out. This is a terrible idea, but he needs to know if Steve is alright. 

  
  
  
  


**Stark:** “I’m waiting for you outside the art building. Need to talk to u cap” 11.30am 

What? 

Steve’s heart races. He feels trapped inside the building. It’s been weeks of not talking to him and now is “Cap” and “I’m waiting for you outside the building”? This is ridiculous. He should’ve never go to look for Tony this morning, _ of course _ Tony wasn’t going to let it slide, but he was hoping he would. He should’ve never listen to Bucky. He didn’t think Tony would come to talk to him and find out what he wanted. He sighs. Shit. He has no choice but to tell Tony that he needed something. Even if he is sure Tony won’t buy anything he says. 

They used to be best friends and now… He is finding excuses not to talk to him. What the hell happened? All of this for a kiss? Fine, Steve will tell him that it meant  **nothing** , that it was just some drunken kiss and is fine. He’ll tell him that they won’t do it ever again if it puts his mind to rest. He’ll say that he didn’t gave it much thought cause it wasn’t something important. It wasn’t  _ life changing _ . Tony can go fuck himself if he is avoiding him because he thought Steve was sad about that kiss happening. He will tell him all of that and if is not enough for Tony and him to go back in time, then screw it. He won’t beg. 

So he goes out after the class is over and he is so angry he is sure he will punch Tony in the face after he sees him. But… Tony is there, in the sunlight, the wind making his hair move and he is holding two cups of coffee. He looks like nothing happened, like everything is normal. And Steve holds his bag harder cause it makes his stomach twist. 

“Hey Steve” 

“Hi” 

“Oh, here! This is for you. Hope you are in the mood for coffee” Steve smiles. “Yeah, I was dying for one, thanks” 

They remain in there for a few seconds. Silence and smell of coffee and Tony’s cologne. Steve is feeling weak, but he has to say it. He has to. 

“Tony listen -“ 

“So Steve -“

They talk at the same time. 

“Okay this is just way too awkward, can we take a walk?” Tony offers in an attempt of brushing the situation off. Steve grins, “Please”.

They start walking and drinking the coffee. Steve finds it hard to look at Tony so he looks ahead. He sighs. 

“So I don’t know what happened to us, Steve” 

“Yeah me neither. But you are the one avoiding me so you should know better” That came out harsher that he intended to. But… whatever, it’s the truth.

“I’m not avoiding you!” 

Steve rolls his eyes. 

“Okay, I am. But only because you were mad at me!”

“I wasn’t mad at you Tony” 

Silence invades the walk again, and Tony takes a sit in a bench without warning. Steve notices after a few steps and then he walks back and joins him in the bench.

“God, I can’t believe I’m talking to you and I feel so uncomfortable. We are never like this” Tony pinches the bridge of his nose. Eyes closed.

Steve wants to agree but he doesn’t feel like talking anymore. The air is heavy and he doesn’t want to snap at Tony. 

“Look I’m just gonna say it. We kissed at the party and after that we were weird.” Tony lets his hand fall and drinks his coffee right after he finishes the sentence and Steve wonders if it has alcohol in it. 

“It meant nothing to me Tony. You were being weird about it, I wasn’t.” Saying it out loud makes him feel cold. Suddenly the coffee tastes bad. He wants to run. “ _ It meant nothing to me Tony”  _ The quote echoes like a dagger in his head for a few seconds.

“Sorry I… I thought it bother you. The kiss.” Tony’s tone is… harsh. Steve feels that maybe Tony is getting mad.

“It didn’t Tony, is fine” He talks fondly this time, while turning to look at his friend. He wants to make him feel better somehow but… he is not good with this. “We shouldn’t be awkward about this”

“Okay, well I’m glad we have everything worked out! We are back to being friends, buddies.” Tony smiles and talks loud but Steve knows something is off. Tony is faking. 

“Yeah, we can’t stop being friends. That kiss was nothing more that you mistaken me with Aaron.” Steve feels bitter about that mistake part but he talks with a smile, this isall for making Tony sure he is good with everything and that he wants them to be friends again. He is faking too.

“Yeah” Tony clears his throat. “Sorry about that confusion. I was clearly drunk, I’m mean you are both blondes and pretty but sorry Steve, you have nothing on Aaron.” Tony smiles mocking him, and takes a sip of coffee again. 

Steve smiles and looks away, pretending that hearing that didn’t make him want to crush the coffee on his hand.  _ It’s a joke it’s a joke it’s a joke.  _

“Well yes, Aaron is much better looking. I admit it, but I can pull off a Christmas sweater better” He jokes back, knowing that bringing that story up will release some tension. Tony laughs. And my god if he doesn’t love it when Tony laughs. 

“Oh my god that sweater was  _ terrible _ _!_ But yeah, you are right Steve, you can pull it off, you can pull off everything” 

His stomach tickles. “I know” 

They laugh again, and suddenly everything feels better. Steve missed this so much. 

“I’m making my mom make you a terrible Christmas sweater this year” Steve teases and Tony shakes his head. 

“I’m not wearing it” He knows Tony would because he loves Sarah, and he wouldn’t deny anything she gives him. 

“And I’m making her knit a deer in the front like mine has” 

Tony grins at the memory. Steve loves his mother but she  _ is _ really terrible at making sweaters. Steve wore one of those in their senior year and Tony didn’t let it go for a year. He still brings it back from time to time when he remembers.    
“We will be matching sweaters! We’ll be matching buddies! I’m going to look better than you and I’m going to jump up and down with the sweater embarrassing you completely anyway. So if you want to do this, you should know it’s going to backfire on you, Cap” 

Steve laughs ‘cause he doesn’t doubt it. “I’ll take my chances” He replies and the sudden thought of Tony looking adorable in a Christmas sweater makes him want to jump away from him. But he doesn’t. 

“Okay Rogers, what do you say we grab a bite somewhere?” 

Steve wants nothing more,  _ ever _ . “I think I can clear my calendar for you”

* * *

Things are back to normal.

“Tony!” 

Agh Jesus Christ. “You are not going to let me do anything are you?” 

“If you mean I’m not going to let you drink another Red Bull, then yes, I’m not going to let you do it” Steve stands up from the individual couch and takes the can out of his hand. Things are  _ way too _ back to normal. 

“Steve I need my energy” He is been traveling back and forth from college to his home this week cause he is designing something for his father. For the tech company they own. At the same time he is taking classes, and having exams and that means barely sleeping. And he made the terrible mistake of telling Rogers that during the lunch they just had. 

“Stop it. You need to rest” 

Steve came over to his place to just hang out. While Tony’s been working on calculations on his laptop, Steve has been studying for an exam he has next week. They are both busy but they still wanted to spend some together in the same room. When Steve suggested he could stay here and study for his upcoming exam in Tony’s living room, it seemed like a good idea to make up for the lost time. He missed Steve’s presence. The room is a mess, the coffee table is full of papers, books, pencils and even a few empty bags of chips rests in one side of the couch. Steve’s backpack is on the floor along with some of Tony’s clothes and balls of paper where he wrote down ideas that were deserted this morning. 

“I don’t want to! I can’t!” He yells. Okay, he is getting exasperated. He sighs and looks over to Steve, looking at him with a hurt expression. Great they are just back to being friends and he ruins it. God he needs to chill. 

“Steve I’m -“

“Tony listen. I know you are under a lot of stress right now and that you are busy. But seriously if you don’t sleep at least an hour you are not going to be well rested enough to finish this whole thing by the beginning of the week. You really think you can handle two more days of not sleeping enough hours?  _ Come on.  _ You are a mess right now.” Steve is dead serious, he can tell on his face and his posture. Tony is sure that Steve is right and that if he doesn’t go to sleep, Steve will  _ force _ him to. 

“If I refuse you are going to knock me out and I think I’m gonna go with that choice.It's easier” He smirks and Steve gives him the Steve  _ look _ . The “jokes aren’t allowed right now” look so he gives up. “Alright alright fine! You win. I will sleep an hour.” 

“Thank you. Now I’m going to go grab my laptop from my room and grab something to eat from the cafeteria.” Steve talks while he searches for his wallet in the room and Tony lays down in the couch without caring for all the things over it. “Yeah yeah” he says without looking and he only notices Steve is gone when he hears the door close. 

He opens his eyes to stare at the ceiling, closes his eyes and he opens them again to look at the ceiling. God, sleeping is impossible. His phone beeps. YES a distraction! A great excuse not to sleep. He grabs it, stirring his arm to touch the coffee table. 

**Hot stuff** : “Remember that the college play is today” 17.45pm 

Aaron is insane. The college play? He wouldn’t go there willingly. Ever. “Are you joking? I hope you are joking” 17.46pm 

**Hot stuff** : “Is the play we saw on the poster the other day and I bought tickets when u bailed on me for lunch u own me” 17.46pm 

Ouch. Touché. Fine he can do one stupid play. 

“I didn’t say I was coming to the play, why did you buy two tickets? I’ll go if you if we have burgers afterwards and you are paying” 17.47pm 

**Hot stuff** : “You did say you were coming! No burgers. I’ll pick u up in 20!!!!” 17.48pm 

Fuck, he needs to make a mental note to not agree to anything when he isn't paying enough attention. 

Well, at least now he definitely has an excuse to stay awake. And to erase Aaron from his contact list cause he hates when he uses that much exclamation signs. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there, I'm Chiara and this is my first EVER fic. So if you like it please let me know! And if you find any grammatical mistake, let me know too! This is just getting started.


End file.
